Between running a multi-billion dollar business and managing hundreds of employees, most CEOs don’t have time to do grocery shopping.
But Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel chooses to shop 14 times a week.
“I’m in the grocery store almost every day, at least twice a day,” Buechel told Fortune magazine in a recent interview. The Austin, Texas-based company’s leader visits the 80,000-square-foot flagship store at lunchtime and returns after work to pick up fresh ingredients for dinner. A self-described “foodie,” Buechel browses the cheeses, checks out the salad bar and often creates “detailed” shopping lists in Excel sheets to plan specific recipes.
Jason Buechel is having lunch at the salad bar at Whole Foods.
Courtesy of Whole Foods
“I happen to work at one of the best restaurants in Austin,” said Bushell, who became CEO in 2022. He took over the role from iconic founder John Mackey, who held the role for 42 years before Bushell took over as CEO after a roughly year-long transition period. Amazon acquired the organic grocery chain in 2017 for $13.7 billion.
The 46-year-old gave Fortune an exclusive glimpse into his daily routine, which includes “at least 10 meetings a day,” a six-mile run, and two trips to Whole Foods Market per day.
Between meetings, Buechel loves to snack on food from the salad bar at Whole Foods Market and try new recipes using products from the store.
“I wouldn’t host a party without asking the cheesemonger for cheese and charcuterie platter recommendations,” he says. Buechel has a deep love for cheese and fresh vegetables: He started gardening at age 7 and grew up on a dairy farm with his parents, and his father was a cheesemaker, Buechel told Harvard Business Review.
But for Bushell, frequenting Whole Foods Market stores isn’t just about stocking up on food or taking advantage of the 20 percent staff discount — he sees it as key to the success of his business.
Regular visits to Whole Foods Market stores across the country allow him to interact with grocer team members, learn from their experiences, and gather customer feedback in real time. Buechel says his shopping strategy is helping him understand the business and “grow as a leader,” as evidenced by the company’s recent decision to slash prices to appease inflation-weary shoppers.
But immersive grocery shopping trips aren’t the only thing that’s helping Buechel make smart business moves.
Similar to how former Starbucks CEO Lakshman Narasimhan spent six months as a barista and “immersed himself” in the business, Buechel is working in Whole Foods stores to understand what’s working well, especially during the busy holiday season.
“From replenishing produce to bagging groceries to assisting with holiday meal pickups, it’s always a pleasure connecting with, helping and working with our customers and team members,” Bueshell said.
The CEO also told Fortune that he apprenticed with a butcher at Whole Foods Market to learn how to cut the perfect aged rib-eye steak and tenderloin, and recently completed the grocer’s bakery decorating program to understand the fundamentals of cake icing.
“That’s so important for all of us as leaders.”
